THR33 DIFFERENT WOMEN. Part 44.

The two bodies lying the doorway of the school room, told him he was on the right track. The substantial trail of blood was also a major clue. Livingston had been wounded. He'd made his way to the room, indicating Tianni had been in there, along with Miss Boyle. There was a stairway up to the top floor in there also. Back in the Victorian and Edwardian era it would have been solely used by the staff, most of whom would have slept up there. Jay had said he was tissue paper. Rogers spun on the spot firing off a burst at the two interlopers who'd wandered around the corner. Rekindling his exasperation with himself. To think he'd been fooled by this bunch of clowns. Expecting little to no resistance they were stamping about like they owned the place. With his and Lev's work they'd soon start noticing the build up of corpses. That would make them far more cautious. They weren't gunning down unarmed servants now.

Miles strode purposefully towards his destination. The pistol fire had to have come from here. Nothing since then. Had they killed Livingston? It seemed likely. In which case he needed to get a step on. No point in pissing about. With his rifle at his shoulder, he stepped through. Sweeping the room in double quick time. Two more bodies. One with no chest, just a mass of blood and flesh. Miss Boyle standing beside Jay, who was dangling from a door, had a revolver pointed at him.

"You should have knocked Captain." She barked aggressively.
"I will next time I promise. Especially now I know you're armed and know how to use it."
The gun was lowered.
"It's not loaded anyway. I got a bit too excited. Now help me with Jay, he's badly wounded."
Barely conscious to. Miles looked over his shoulder.
"It might..."
"Until we get him down, we won't be able to find Leilani and Tianni. Nobody will. If there's one thing Tianni's good at it's hiding. They have to come through here anyway. Now stop dawdling."
Rogers forced the entrance door closed, throwing two desks against it. That would slow them down enough for now. The two of them cut Jay down, lowering him to the floor. He coughed some blood. Moaning as he was carefully laid on the floor. With the bandages used, Holly did what every woman did in these situations. Started tearing strips off her skirt.
"Nice shooting by the way."
"Thanks." Jay husked, his eyes flickering open.
"I wasn't talking to you." Rogers grinned. "Holly put six 44 slugs into that guy, you could cover them with a postcard. How are you doing?"
There was no answer, he'd passed out again. Miss Boyle was strapping him up efficiently, when he gave a startled gasp. Jay grabbed Miles arm.
"They okay?" He croaked.
"Yeah. They'll be fine. You did okay Livingston."
"My last hurrah."
"What are you on about, you turnip?"
"No need to sugar coat it. I've accepted I'm done for. I'm not getting out of this. I'll be dead long before I can get to a hospital." Jay clutched his superiors shirt. "There are some letters in my belongings... make sure my family get them."
"Oh shut up you tart. We'll get a couple of units of blood in you and you'll be good as new."
Jay gave a humorless chuckle.
"I'm O negative. Where are they going to find a match?"
Miles patted his shoulder, the one without a bullet through it.
"So am I. And most of the islanders will be O anyway. Should be able to find enough donors, even for a greedy bugger like you."

Once he'd had his wounds dressed and been made comfortable, Rogers headed up the stairs. Calling as he went. The directions Jay had given him helped, but they weren't that detailed. Lev radioed through that the residence was now surrounded by their team. All exits covered. Meanwhile the Russian was mopping up the remnants of the attackers. Miss Boyle had been right. Tianni certainly knew how to hide. He eventually found them in a storage cupboard, concealing themselves in an alcove above eye level. If you didn't know it was there, you'd never see it. He helped the ladies down. Tianni only interested in how Jay was. Leilani pale and silent.

"He'll be okay sweetheart. Looks a lot worse than it is. Don't you worry Shania will take care of him. Stick with me and I'll take you to see him."
A harmless deception. The stairs were the only way down unless you went through several rooms and a few corridors to the other end of the roof space. Miles didn't want her running off on her own. Tianni took his hand. He looked down at their contact point, with a smile.
"You called me sweetheart." Tianni commented.
"Sorry. I've had quite a day of it."
"That's okay. I like it."

Seeing his charge perked Jay up, despite her throwing herself on him for a big hug. Miss Boyle had been busy making him comfortable. While she and Tianni fussed over the patient, Rogers contacted his second in command. The residence had been cleared, but he was doing another sweep to make absolutely sure. Lev advised him there were three survivors, all of whom had surrendered. The staff who lived off site had begun to arrive, so he wanted know what to do with them. Two of the live in staff had been murdered, including the steward, the other two were shaken up. What was it Wellington had said? The only thing worse than a battle lost, was a battle won. Because you were left with the battlefield and all the death and destruction laid out before you.

Shania turned up soon after that, accompanied by an escort as ordered by her husband. Jay couldn't help noticing she was delighted he was going to be the first patient in her brand new hospital. Someone for her medical students to practise on. She had a drip, and some painkillers in him in no time. It all got very fuzzy after that, until his dead father turned up. They had a nice long talk. About what he would never recall. His next real memory was waking up wearing an oxygen mask. The pain was a lot worse, as the drugs were wearing off. He'd been out for two whole days. Shania having sedated him so he could heal more quickly. He was disappointed when his first visitor was Miles. Lev came along to, his usual talkative self. Jay gave them a brisk salute.

"Don't get too used to lazing about. You've got work to do Livingston." His superior quipped. "My lovely wife says you can be up and about in a few days. As long as you take things easy. You're very good at that."
"Didn't you bring me anything? Grapes or flowers?"
"I ate the grapes and Lev ate the flowers. How are you feeling?"
"Like trodden on shit, but I'll get over it."
"We've contacted your family, they send their best wishes. I let them know you'd be contacting them either today or tomorrow." Miles took a deep breath. "I screwed up and it's only thanks to you this didn't turn out a lot worse. The king got back last night, he's been visiting the relatives of those who didn't make it. You've no idea how hard this is for me to say, to a screw up like you Jay, but I'm sorry."
"Shit happens. So I did good work, did I?"
"I wouldn't go that far. You did okay. I've almost got to the point where I don't dislike you anymore."
"We're blood brothers now." Jay couldn't resist poking the bear. "Together forever."
"What are you on about?"
"Shania told me she used your blood. I've had a bit of you, inside me." The suggestive tone was unmistakable.
Lev chuckled, bringing an annoyed glance form Rogers. It didn't last, as he broke into a grin.
"Did the earth move for you?"
"No, but the bed wobbled a bit."

The men were still chatting when Holly showed up with Tianni. They'd brought flowers, along with his laptop. That was appreciated more, but not as much as seeing both of them safe and well. Their trip to the US had been postponed. Tianni wasn't going anywhere without her adopted uncle. Two days later they came to collect him. Shania had decided having one patient in her hospital wasn't as much fun as she'd imagined. She was the one who wheeld him out to the waiting SUV. Where he was helped into the back seat. Being a patient wasn't as much fun as he'd imagined. It was good to get back, but tinged with more than a hint of sadness. You could still see the results of the assault here and there. Bullet holes in the walls. Tire tracks on the once pristine lawns. People had died here, and for what? Money at the end of the day. Not for love of family or country, but from worship of cash. As he was assisted out of the vehicle he couldn't help noticing her. Leilani was watching him from one of the upstairs windows. She looked haunted, hollow. The sight of him covered in blood had brought back dark memories of even worse times for her.